Olive Grace Stems Spotlight | Local with Lisa Chan Carnazzo

Lisa: If you need some flowers and want to support a small local business, then try Olive + Grace Stems, located right here in Piedmont.

Victoria Manley Thompson is the owner. Hi, Victoria. Tell me why you started this floral business.Victoria: Well, I’ve always loved flowers. I was always the person to call when there needed to be flowers at a party. But during Covid, I found it to be therapeutic.I wanted to be away from screens.

I wanted something to do outside, and flowers were the answer. So right before lockdown, I had taken a flower workshop and it just sort of lit a fire from there.

Lisa: I know you donate a lot of arrangements to different organizations and to the community. Where do you get your flowers?

Victoria: Primarily, San Francisco at the Flower Mart. Another supplier I really love is Boxcar Flower Farm. They’re a local outfit. There’s a Piedmont resident who owns that as well and it’s an urban farm. They grow everything organically and seasonally, and it’s so fun to purchase from them or forage from them. It’s a really good partnership.

Lisa: You deliver flowers, but you also offer subscriptions?

Victoria: Basically everything is customizable, but I found that if you really love flowers, it’s nice to just have them come regularly. So every two weeks, every week, every month, whatever the situation is or whatever the person wants, I can make it work.It can be any kind of arrangement. I arrange these cute tiny little jars to a centerpiece arrangement if someone wants something for their entryway or living room.

Lisa: How can people find you?

Victoria: The best way is on my website and Instagram. I’m in the Piedmont directory. I’m very easy to find. I’m just down the hill, I’m not very far. I’m at Wildwood all the time. So, I’m very easy to find, but email or cell phone is great.

Lisa: Victoria Manley Thompson, thank you.

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